Wind Ensemble/Band Compositions

Concerto for Brass Quintet and Wind Ensemble, Movement I - Rejoice, commissioned by Craig Roselieb and the Downers Grove South (Illinois) High School Wind Ensemble, written especially for the Gaudette Brass. Premiered on March 2, 2015 at Carnegie Hall.

9 Miniatures and an Essay for Band,commissioned by Ravinia Festival Education and Community Partnerships Department (Highland Park, Illinois) in 2006-2007. Piece was written for the Edgewood (Highland Park) Middle School 7th and 8th Grade Band, Mollie McDougal, Band Director and was premiered as part of a lecture/demonstration presented by the composer at the Murray Theatre on the grounds of Ravinia. The 9 Miniatures serve as introductory training excerpts for students not yet familiar with graphic notation and aleatoric musical gestures. All miniatures appear in the Essay, which can be performed with or without the miniatures. At the premier performance, 5 students from the band lead selected miniatures for the audience to experience the different sounds and conducting gestures. The composer strongly recommends that teacher/conductors consider having their students conduct miniatures prior to performance of the Essay, with or without explanations to the audience. In fact, it might be best for the students to be the teachers of the audience. Medium easy to perform, after students grasp graphic notation. Score and set of parts - $80.00.A Joyous Tribute, was composed in the fall of 2007, as a retirement gift to Ron Polancich, Director of Bands at York Community (Elmhurst, Illinois). The piece is very loosely based on three sources.

Shenandoah, a work Ron loves and performs as often as he can.

Barbara Ellen, an old Scottish folk song that kept appearing in my mind and ear while I was trying to deal with Shenandoah. So, I finally gave up and just decided to include the melody or fragments of it in the piece.

Lastly, when I asked for a copy of the York fight song was, I was informed that we just play “When The Saints Go Marchin’ in” when good things happened with the various athletic teams.

There are three distinctive rhythmic sections that one can latch onto, the first two having a quasi “rock feel.” The last big section of the piece is layered over percussion “groove” commonly known as a “second line street beat,” a nod to the foundation of Jazz – New Orleans. The piece begins with a fanfare based on the harmonic structure (although expanded by the composer) on Shenandoah and When The Saints. There is a back and forth pulling from the two “rock feels” which eventually lead to a mysterious section that features a series of solos. The middle of the work features the percussion choir developing to a snare drum cadenza that evolves into the “2nd line groove.” Entrances in the winds and brass build to a recapitulation of the opening fanfare and then it’s free form to the end. Difficult, must have a strong snare drummer, and solid percussion choir. Score and set of parts - $100.00.Celebration,for horn and wind ensemble, currently in manuscript form only. Two movements. Difficult. Currently available in manuscript. Contact me.Celebration 40,was commissioned by Ron Fiorito Jr., Director of Bands at Elm Hurst (Illinois) High School Symphonic Band as part of the 40th Anniversary Celebration of the founding of the school. Overall, the work is an ABA work, based on pitch derivations of the Elm Hurst Fight Song and Alma Mater, with loads of free composition thrown in for good measure. Medium difficult to difficult, must have oboe soloist and English horn soloist (alto saxophone has cues for all E. Hn. Solos), also, strong percussion. Score and set of parts - $100.00Concerto for Wind Symphony,was commissioned in 1999, by the University of Wisconsin Wind Symphony, Carolyn Barber, conductor. Four movements (1st and 2nd attacca). Difficult work, technically challenging, approximately 28 minutes. Published by Really Good Music, LLC., 1705 Wilson St., Eau Claire, WI 54701-4084 email is reply@reallygoodmusic.com. Elm Place Overture,was commissioned by the Ravinia Festival Education and Community Partnerships Department (Highland Park, Illinois) in 2006. The overture was originally written for orchestra. Here, it has been transcribed for band. Easy piece with quiet percussion soli in middle, ABA form, with some isolated solos, cross-cued as needed. Score and set of parts - $65.00.Episode I,was commission by the Evanston Township High School Music Department as a retirement gift for Alvin F. Mistak, Director of Orchestras for 26 years. Originally for orchestra, here transcribed for symphonic band. Medium difficult, with some graphic notation (aleatoric gestures).Available in manuscript. Contact me for availability.Episode II, for flute and wind ensemble,written for Heather Landes, flutist, and the National High School Music Institute. Single movement (approximately 9 minutes), with some graphic notation for soloist and ensemble. Difficult for flutist, medium for ensemble. Score and set of parts - $100.00.Intermix,for combo and wind ensemble,first section features the wind ensemble, occasionally interrupted by short calls (teasers) from the combo. The second section is dominated by the combo with accompanying riffs and gestures in the wind ensemble. The melody in the combo was written over the chord progression to Horace Silver’s Sonfor My Father. This second section builds to a climatic section with the members of the combo “battling” amongst themselves, while the wind ensemble shouts arrhythmic chords over the combo and percussion choir. A third section features 8 soloists from the wind ensemble in a soft, slow musical setting. Here the melodies again were written from the “changes” to Song for My Father. The fourth and final section is a recapitulation of sorts. One will hear music directly from the first section, followed by the slow melody from the second section, now set in the “groove” tempo, with a more dance-like funky feel. The last measures of the final section are a “shout;” with the combo wailing away, each in their own world, with a final barrage of recapitulatory gestures in the wind ensemble from the entire piece. The coda (ending) is a slow pyramid of the combo’s “groove line,” with a final flurry of notes from the percussion. Score and set of parts - $125.00. (Separate combo score also available.)Moments,was commission by the Elm Hurst High School Symphony Orchestra, James Plondke, conductor in 1981, and was premiered at the International Mid-West Band and Orchestra Convention in Chicago, Illinois. The work is in 5 short movements. Here the work is transcribed for Wind Ensemble, but currently is in manuscript form. Will be available soon in computer printed form. Score and set of parts - $100.00.Music, My Life, My Gift, for choir and wind ensemble was commissioned by the Downers Grove South High School Symphonic Wind Ensemble, Craig Roselieb, conductor and A Cappella Choir, Joy Belt-Roselieb, conductor. The text was adapted by Craig Roselieb from a poem by Elizabeth Barrett Browning. Separate choral score is available with piano accompaniment. Piece is not intended for choral and piano performance, only as a combined ensemble work. Score and set of parts (instrumental and vocal) - $135.00.Onaftesda Noslo,for jazz tenor saxophonist and wind ensemble,commissioned by the McCracken Middle School Symphonic Band, Chip DeStefano, conductor, and featured Matt Olson at the premier performance at the University of Michigan as part of the MMEA Convention. Band part is level 3; solo part is 5, mostly because of the extended improvisational sections. Currently only available in manuscript. Contact me for availability.Sirhcaladav for soprano saxophone and wind ensemble,was a result of The Commission Project, directed by Ned Corman. He knew that Chris Vadala and I had become friends and mutual admirers. Ned wanted a showcase for Chris that could be played by high school ensembles. The first performance was by Chris Vadala with the National High School Music Institute Wind Ensemble. Chris has performed the work on several occasions, the last being with the Memphis University Wind Ensemble. Wind Ensemble is grade 4 (mostly because of proportional notation); solo part is 5 to 6 – long sections of improvisation.Score and set of parts - $125.00.

Sirhcaladavis also available for solo saxophone and Jazz Ensemble.Three Movements for Symphonic Band, was commissioned by the York Community High School Symphonic Band, Ronald Polancich, conductor. First movement is straightforward in allegro tempo. Some have told me it’s Persichetti-like. Second movement, Song, is in minor/dorian intermixing modes, featuring alto saxophone, English horn. It’s quiet and somber. Mysterious Marching is final movement with snare drummer featured throughout. Piece alters between aleatoric outbursts and rhythmic marching music, ends with offstage solitary snare drummer. Grade 4 to 4.5.Score and set of parts - $100.00.Triple Set, for three percussion soloists and wind ensemble,commissioned by the Downers Grove North High School Band, Brayer Teague, conductor. Actually could be titled “for three percussion soloists, harp and wind ensemble. Harp part is very important, although can be substituted by synthesizer or piano. Three movements, the first featuring each of the percussion soloists, especially soloist 1 (xylophone) and soloist 2 (marimba and tom-toms). Soloist 2 (vibraphone) is heavily featured in movement 2…very slow and quiet, almost a recitative for vibraphone and wind ensemble. All three soloist are featured in movement 3, but the wind ensemble has a much more prominent role than in the previous movements. Grade 5 to 6 for ensemble, grade 6 for soloists. Score and set of parts - $150.00.Two Elegies, for alto saxophone and wind ensemble,was written for Margie Halinski and the National High School Music Institute Wind Ensemble. Harp part may be substituted with a synthesizer or omitted. Accompaniment is not difficult, solo part is 4.5 to 5.5, mostly because of control and range issues. Score and set of parts - $75.00.

Variances on NU Songs, ensemble piece that uses the three school songs of Northwestern University as sources…Go U Northwestern, Push On, Alma Mater. These tunes are not heard in original form until the end with all three sounding at the same time in 3 different keys, Bb, E, Ab. Multi-sections, with lots of solos and solis, from serious to silly. Difficult work, grade 5 to 6. Currently in manuscript form. Contact me for availability.

Xenakis,for 5 players or 5 divisions of 1 or more players per part. Graphic score that also serves as part for each player, provides opportunity for every member of your band to improvise. Optional “conductor’s cadenza” is available within performance. Works best after a straight ahead piece and can be played attacca to either a Bach Chorale type piece when played by concert band or to something like Mingus’ Boogie Stop Shuffle when performed by a jazz group. Piece also works for choir, strings, and any combination of instruments/voices. Easy…I’ve programmed with middle school groups to outstanding professional level. One page score - $30.00. (Permission to make duplicate copies approved with purchase.)